Qualcomm buys SoftMax for voice quality

Qualcomm Inc. apparently recognizes that mobile consumers remain a chatty lot. And with voice still the dominant mobile use, the San Diego chip company has purchased privately held SoftMax Inc. for its noise-reduction technology. Terms of the purchase were not disclosed.
According to Qualcomm, SoftMax’s “multi-microphone noise suppression and echo cancellation expertise” will help improve the audio and voice capabilities of Qualcomm’s chips for its customers’ mobile phones, Bluetooth headsets, VoIP phones and laptops.
In a word, SoftMax’s technology separates a speaker’s voice from background noise. SoftMax is located in San Diego, where Qualcomm is headquartered.
Interestingly, in SoftMax’s latest press release, prior to being purchased by Qualcomm, was news of its collaboration with Broadcom Corp., a Qualcomm rival for mobile business. SoftMax’s noise reduction technology was installed on Broadcom chips for Bluetooth headsets in June.
Qualcomm announced last month that it would purchase privately held Firethorn Holdings L.L.C., which provides mobile banking services to network operators.